Hiring an Electrician, through an employer’s eyes

Human Resource Management is one of the big issues a company faces. A main problem for some is moving too prematurely into recruiting someone and not ending up with the right person.

Employers will view new employees as an investment and therefore anticipate a financial return over time.”

Prolux Electrical Contractors – electricians in Melbourne – witnessed first hand the managerial, financial and cultural impact of recruiting in a hurry.

“I had to recruit within three days,” the electrical company’s Managing Director, Alex Lamblin, says.

“Unfortunately, the candidate could not perform to our standards. I could only work with what was available at the time and it backfired.”

“I went through two more electricians before I had the right mix. As a result, the overall management and quality of the project slipped. That consequently cost me financially and put a dent in my credibility.”

“During the whole process, I had to step in and fill the gaps. The project went for 12 months and consumed about 16 hours of my week, for about 20 weeks.”

Commercial & industrial electricians, Prolux Electrical Contractors were among BRWs Fast 100 in 2011. Other Fast 100 victors mentioned that recruiting the correct person with the right set of values, an employee who will fit well into the company’s culture, can rank ahead of formal qualifications and prior work experience.

Mr Lamblin says “I have always been a firm believer in recruiting from attitude, not skill. You can teach the skill, not the attitude. A willingness to learn and motivation goes a long way in my opinion. Someone that is prepared to go that extra mile can make a world of difference.”

Implicit in this approach is the view that while an employer is capable of teaching their employees what to do, they can’t give them personality implants.

Networking is also a successful route that generates results in recruiting.

In many cases an applicant would be willing to apply for a position even when it’s not the best step for them. Although it may seem to be a real asset to get an employee who has more qualifications and or experience for a particular role, in hope that they would bring their expertise to the company, and be hired on a cheaper salary, it’s not a wise move. If there’s no future for them to grow within the company, then they are likely to become bored or demotivated and therefore resign within a short period of time.

People who are willing to take a pay cut can be a bad idea.”

It can be very tempting to employ a candidate who is willing to take a pay cut, however if it isn’t in their best interests, e.g. a good progressive step for them, then their motivation will undoubtedly expire, their longevity will always be uncertain and they won’t be an investment for the company in the long-term anyway.

A Forbes recent study states the cost of hiring a single bad employee at between $25-50,000. The cost of seeking, interviewing, engaging and training new employees is quite high. New employees generally require a desk or workstation tools, computer or laptop, phone, car and other industry related equipment, let alone the other costs associated with salaries, benefits and taxes.

5 points we consider when hiring:

Does the candidate have a sufficient level of competency? Do they have adequate skills, experience and education to successfully complete the tasks of the role? As an employer you want to be sure that you’re hiring somebody who can not only complete tasks, but show effort to take on further responsibility.

Will the candidate fit the culture of our company? Will he or she follow certain values, policies and procedures? They need to respect the company and believe in our vision and mission statements.

Will the candidate get along well with the other employees and also our clients and stakeholders? Reference checks will determine if they have had issues with work relationships in the past.

Is the candidate of good character, are they trustworthy and a team player? Somebody who helps others in our company to achieve great results for everybody.

Is the candidate just looking for their next job? Recruiting costs money and takes up precious time. We want to hire employees that want to grow and learn with our company and who envision being with us for the long term.

Prolux Electrical Contractors are always on the look out for enthusiastic people to join our vibrant and dynamic team of electricians. If that’s you, express your interest today by applying via our online employment tab.